Not-so-secret gardens

Amsterdam is a city you may be more likely to associate with
canals than with pretty gardens. But garden-lovers can catch a
glimpse of a very green-fingered waterside city every summer.

Open Garden Days is a Europe-wide initiative that grew out of London and has since spread across Europe to Amsterdam, Dublin, Bratislava and Prague, which gives the public access into a city's hidden
sanctuaries - most of which are private - when they're in full
bloom. In Amsterdam, 30 or so slimline canal gardens are pruned,
planted and landscaped to a theme - this year's being 'coach houses
and garden houses' - and are accessible for three days, on 15-17
June.

This year, participating gardens in the Dutch city include those
at Museum Van Loon (Keizersgracht 672), Bijbels Museum,
(Herengracht 366-368), Amnesty International (Keizersgracht 177),
and Museum Willet-Holthuysen (Herengracht 605).

Among the smaller gardens on show is that of boutique hotel
Canal House (pictured), on Keizersgracht canal. Landscape
designers Dale & Heybrook - also responsible for the beautiful
gardens at Cowley Manor in the UK - have planted thousands of tulip bulbs
and added seating areas around a central water feature. Whereas
most canal gardens are slivers of land on the back of narrow
properties, the Canal House, the width of three buildings, has room
for its own garden house (available for private dining) and a cosy
summer house which can sit two for afternoon tea.

And in London gardens will open up on 9-10 June at locations as
diverse as HM Prison Holloway, Kensal Green Cemetery, Ham House,
King's College and the Natural History Museum.